


You know I was down for you...

by WonderBoy



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Falconer Holster, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mutual Pining, NHL Holster, Near Future, Secret Keeper, Secret Relationship, Slow Burn, mostly canon compliant
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-25
Updated: 2017-08-03
Packaged: 2018-07-26 15:27:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7579414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WonderBoy/pseuds/WonderBoy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ransom was quite for a long time. Holster tried not to panic. Tried not to let the dread settle over him again. It was a lot to take it, that was all. Finally, Ransom caught his eye. He was smiling.</p><p>“You’re gonna be a Falconer.” Holster grinned.</p><p>“And you’re going to Harvard, baby.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I shouldn't be starting a new fic but I'm obsessed
> 
> I have the basis of this fic worked out but not the details so ships and characters may be added as time goes on, rating may change, I'll try to keep you all updated
> 
> Title from 4u by Blackbear

Adam left the meeting with a NHL scout, head spinning. A few months back he had started hearing from scouts in a few different cities across the country. Something he never expected even just a year ago. Sure Adam considered himself a good hockey player but, hell, it wasn’t like he was Jack “Son of a Goddamn Legacy” Zimmerman. He was just Adam “Holster” Birkholtz, one half of one of the best pairs of D-Men to ever grace the world of NCAA. Or at least to grace Samwell.   
  
And sure, what little hockey-playing runt didn’t one day dream of being a professional athlete? But he had to be realistic now, he was graduating soon. He was supposed to be looking into jobs and praying to whatever god was listening that his degree wasn’t a waste of four years and tens of thousands of dollars. Not looking into honest-to-goodness  _ National Hockey League Teams. _   
  
Autopilot took him across campus and back to the Haus. He stomped the snow off his boots on the porch, shaking off as much as he could from his coat in the process. Inside the Haus it was warm and it smelled like vanilla and beer. It was a rather repulsive combination and yet it made Adam think of home more than anything else. Peeking around the corner he spied Bitty in the kitchen. Something was in the oven, unsurprisingly, but for once the blond had a textbook open before him on the table while he cleaned up.   
  
Adam thought he could sneak past but Bitty looked up just as he pulled away from the entrance way.   
  
“You’re back early! I thought you said you’d be gone most of the afternoon.” Bitty greeted him with a smile. Before Adam could stop him he was bustling around the kitchen. And before he knew it Bitty had him seated at the kitchen table with a plate of goodies in front of him.   
  
“Uh yeah I uh…finished up early.” Adam mumbled. At least with a mouthful of cookies he could feint good manners and avoid answering questions.   
  


Adam still wasn't quite sure why but he hadn’t told anyone on the team that he was being scouted. Not even Rans. It felt like a betrayal, keeping such a huge secret from Ransom but there was something so bizarre about the whole ordeal he couldn't bring himself to talk about it. Besides, if Ransom knew he was considering signing with a team, he would drop everything to help weigh the pros and cons of the teams that had reached out to Adam like the team had done for Jack last year. Adam couldn’t ask him to do that. He had too much on his plate already, worrying about finishing classes and deciding on a medical school to transfer to.   
  
Dread settled on Adam's shoulders as he thought of Ransom. Rans would want him to pick the team that was best for him but he couldn't help but wonder about what was best for both of them. They hadn’t discussed it, but Adam had been looking into job openings in the cities he heard Ransom talk the most about. Adam had researched businesses closest to Ransom’s top five school choices. They were “Ransom & Holster” the idea of them being separated was…unthinkable. Adam as a NHL player would throw a wrench in all of that.   
  
Adam didn’t realize he had eaten everything off his plate until he reached for something else to distract himself with and it was empty. Startled, he looked up to see Bitty, watching him with a rather bittersweet smile.   
  
“You’ve got the same expression Jack had this time last year.” Bitty observed, clearing away his plate. Adam froze, a lump in his throat. There was no way Bitty could know, right? “You’ll figure it out Holster, whatever it is that’s bothering you.” Bitty continued. His back was to Adam while he tackled the dishes in the sink. “And you know you never have to do it alone, we’re all here for you.”   
  
Adam ran a hand over his face, hoping Bitty couldn’t hear his shaky breath over the splashing water. “Thanks Bits. It’s just…there’s a lot to think about.” Bitty nodded, humming his agreement.   
  
After a few minutes Adam stood up from the table. He was going to go up to the attic and…not think. It felt like all he had been doing for days was thinking and worrying about what he was going to do. Even the kegster they threw that weekend hadn’t been enough to fully distract him. So mind-numbing television it was.   
  
“If no one here can help, the seniors might offer some different insight.”   
  
Adam stopped, one foot on the stairs. He almost wondered if he imagined Bitty’s last comment but when he backtracked towards the kitchen Bitty turned around to face him.   
  
“It’s just a thought, but Jack and Shitty already did all this crazy, deciding-what-to-do-next drama. And sure, Jack knew he was doing hockey, and Shitty knew he was going into law, but there were still a lot of decisions to make.” Adam didn’t say anything and Bitty turned back to the sink. “It’s up to you, but a little bird did tell me the Falconer’s practice finishes early tonight.”   
  
Adam elected to ignore the smile he saw on Bitty’s face when he checked the time.   


* * *

Two hours and roughly five episodes of  _ 30 Rock _ later Adam was standing outside Bittle’s door, hand poised to knock. Adam still felt odd telling the team about the offers he had received, they still felt unreal to him, but if anyone would know what he was going through it would be Jack “Hockey Robot” Zimmerman. At least to some degree.   
  
Adam could hear Bitty talking to someone (Jack) but his words were too muffled for him to understand what he was saying. Adam’s hand dropped. He was losing his nerve. But then he heard voices downstairs. He had to do this. He had to talk to someone to get everything off his chest, before he crumpled under it. Ransom would be back in an hour. He had to do this now.   
  
Adam knocked.   
  
Adam could hear Bitty say something else. Then the muffled sounds of someone moving things around. Then, oddly, it sounded as if Bitty was unlocking his door. Adam had knocked to be polite. He hadn’t even considered the door might be locked. Before he could dwell on it, the door swung open and Bitty was peering up at him. At first there was confusion on the shorter man’s face but a moment later realization dawned and he opened the door wider without a word, to let him in. Bitty’s laptop sat open on his desk, Jack’s surprised face watching them from the Skype call Adam had just interrupted.   
  
Bitty turned back to the computer with a smile.   
  
“It sounds like the frogs are home, and I just tried out a new recipe this afternoon, and I don’t know if it’s ready for mass consumption yet, so I had better go do damage control.” Bitty lied. Well, it might not have been a lie in his mind, but Adam and Jack both obviously didn’t believe there was anything to worry about if their expressions were anything to judge by. Bitty ignored them both. “I don’t want you to be bored staring at my empty room so why don’t you catch up with Holster?” Adam seriously hoped he imagined the wink Bitty sent his way. There was nothing discreet about this exchange. “Y’all have fun, I’ll be back in a few.”   
  
Giving Adam an encouraging smile and pat on the arm, Bitty left the room, pulling the door shut behind him.   
  
Adam settled himself in Bitty’s desk chair. It was not positioned for someone of his size but he didn’t want to mess with the settings. Hopefully this exchange wouldn’t be long enough to make the hunch to his back actually start hurting.   
  
Bitty obviously hadn’t clued Jack in to Holster’s need to chat based on the confused expression on Jack’s grainy image.   
  
“What’s up, Holster?” Jack was trying to sound casual but it still felt like he was using his “Captain voice," reaching out to make sure all the players were feeling 100 percent. Adam thought he and Ransom were doing a pretty bang up job of being co-captains but neither of them had quite mastered the “Captain voice” the same way Jack had.   
  
Adam studied the pixelated image of Jack. Adam didn’t recognize the backdrop but if he had to guess, Jack was somewhere in his new apartment in Providence. And despite his confusion Jack looked happy, happier than Adam had seem him in a long, long time-if ever.   
  
Suddenly everything was pouring out of Adam. The dam had opened and there was no stopping it. Jack took it all in stride, not batting an eye at the offers Adam had received or when the conversation took a 180° because Adam had remembered something else about an offer or had another worry that he hadn’t thought to mention before. Jack let him talk until it was all out.   
  
Silence stretched between the two of them until Adam was fidgeting in his seat. He wished he had worn his glasses today. His eyes were starting to burn from staring at a computer screen with contacts in, and then he’d at least have something to do with his hands.   
  
“Do you know what’s most important to you about a new team?” Jack finally asked slowly, as if he was feeling out each word to make sure it was the one he wanted. “You don’t have to tell me, but do you know what means the most to you? Location, Ice Time, Cap Space…Money?”   
  
For a moment Adam was frozen but then there was Rans's face in his mind and Adam knew exactly what was the most important to him. He nodded.   
  
“Then start there. Put that above everything else and then start judging the pros and cons of the teams,” Jack took a deep breath. “And no matter how good other teams may look on paper, don’t sacrifice what matters the most. Chose for yourself Holster, that’s the only way you’ll be happy with your choice. Anything else won’t be as satisfying even if the other benefits are bigger.”   
  
Adam nodded numbly, hating how simple Jack made it all sound. Of course that was the logical way to do it.   
  
“I understand why you’re keeping this to yourself, Adam,” Jack’s voice was soft but Adam wasn’t sure he had ever sounded more like a captain. “But I also know it can be really overwhelming. If you’re still having trouble later, if it starts to feel like way too much again, you have my number.”   
  
Adam ran his hands through his hair. It was starting to get long. He really should cut it but pausing for a haircut had been so far down on his list of priorities it well…hadn’t made the cut.   
  
“Thank you, Jack. Talking it out it…it helped a lot.” Adam stood up, wincing as his knees popped. “I’ll retrieve Bittle from the kitchen for you.”   
  
It was hardly more than an exhale of air but still undeniably a Zimmerman laugh heard from the computer as Adam went for the door. 

* * *

It took Adam a while to finally sort everything out but eventually he had a clear idea of the best choice of team, regardless of where Ransom chose for med school. In fact, he was sure his anal co-captain would appreciate the detailed, typed lists Adam had created and tucked away in a binder to study whenever he had time. The only thing that would have possibly made them better would have been if they had been made on Excel.   
  
Adam was proud of his lists and his choices. Which is why for the first time in weeks he was finally relaxed enough to enjoy what was left of his senior year.   
  
And why when a few weeks later Ransom burst in grinning from ear to ear, Adam was fully prepared to celebrate with his best friend no matter where it took them.   
  
“I got into Harvard.” Ransom announced. Adam stood up from his desk grinning wide enough to match.   
  
“Like there was any doubt.” Adam pulled Ransom into a hug, pressing a kiss to his temple before he could talk himself out of it. “So that’s it then, right? Harvard’s always been your number one.”   
  
Ransom nodded, pulling Adam in for another hug.   


* * *

Hours later, they were curled up on Adam’s bunk with sitcom reruns playing in the background, wrapped around each other in order to fit comfortably on the twin-sized mattress.   
  
Ransom tightened his grip on Adam's shirt suddenly, shifting as best he could to face his fellow D-Man.   
  
“Holtzy, I know we never really talked about this before now but I’m going to Harvard so I’m going to be in Boston at least five years, which isn’t even taking into account where I get an internship or a residency but-”   
  
“Providence.” Adam interrupted Ransom’s rambling quietly. He watched Ransom’s expression change from hesitant to confused as he worked through “Providence.” Sighing, Adam shifted his position as well, hoping he could manage to stay on the bed while having this Serious Future™ conversation.   
  
“I’ve received offers from a number of different NHL teams.”   
  
“What?” Ransom sat straight up in bed, nearly knocking his head against the top bunk and jostling the laptop perched on the end in one go. Adam met his eye, remarkably calm considering how worked up he had been before. “How could I not know about this? What are you talking about?”   
  
“I wanted you to make your decision first, about med school, before worrying about anything else. This has been your dream Rans.”   
  
Ransom looked like he wanted to argue with Adam about…everything but he narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath.   
  
“We’ll discuss that choice at a later time but what’s this about Providence?”   
  
Sliding out of the bed, Adam went to his desk, to his binder with the lists. Adam returned with the lists, handing them off to Rans carefully.   
  
Silence settled over the two while Rans read and Adam watched the expressions flit across Ransom’s face.   
  
“Priority was…proximity to me?” Adam wasn’t sure why but Ransom was whispering suddenly. As if worried about shattering the atmosphere around them, Adam started to whisper as well.   
  
“We’re ‘Ransom & Holster,’ you can’t break that up.”   
  
“Oh Holtzy,”   
  
“It’s 53. 6 miles from downtown Providence to Harvard University. Hop on 95 and we can be at each other’s side in under an hour,” Adam stopped at the look Ransom gave him. “Alright at each other’s side in an hour.”   
  
Ransom was quiet for a long time. Adam tried not to panic. Tried not to let the dread settle over him again. It was a lot to take in, that was all. Finally, Ransom caught his eye. He was smiling.   
  
“You’re gonna be a Falconer.” Adam grinned.   
  
“And you’re going to Harvard, baby.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter wasn't even supposed to exist because the plan was for this story to be in Holster's POV but now I'm glad I wrote it bc I actually had a lot of fun putting it together
> 
> Just a warning, March is in this chapter and it is suggested that she and Ransom have slept together (recently) but honestly its PG material at most and I promise with every fiber of my being there is no relationship drama between her and Rans or Rans and Holster because of Ransom and March

Hours later, Justin was still awake. Holster fell asleep first and curled himself around Justin, resting his head against Justin’s chest. Justin had been absentmindedly running his fingers through Holster’s overgrown hair and staring at the bottom of the top bunk, where he should be, ever since.   
  
Justin had been ecstatic for Holster,  _ of course he was _ . And Holster’s tidbit about the distance had calmed a lot of the immediate anxieties that popped up whenever he thought too deeply about the future.   
  
But something…something didn’t feel right.   
  
Holster was his  _ best friend _ and somehow Justin didn’t know he had been trying to decide on a  _ NHL Team _ this whole time?   
  
He wanted to be mad at Holster for keeping this huge-fucking-deal a secret from him but instead he just felt wrong. It wasn’t quite guilt but it wasn’t quite not-guilt.   
  
_ “I wanted you to make your decision first, about med school, before worrying about anything else. This has been your dream Rans.” _   
  
He couldn’t seem to stop hearing Holster’s words bounce around in his head. Even after they had settled back down to watch whatever show Holster had fixated on that month, it was a mantra in his head. He closed his eyes and Holster’s lists came back in perfect clarity, the distance between the team’s home city and each of Justin’s Top Five listed at the top of the page, before anything else, outside of a column altogether. His brain wouldn’t even let him dwell on all that that could mean. It was too much to work through on his own, all at once.   
  
However, halfway through another episode Justin couldn’t keep quiet about all of it.   
  
_ “When did you first get approached by a scout, Holtzy?” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Huh? The first time? I think it was right after our first game of the year, technically. Nothing was official then though.” _   
  
The first game. Nearly their entire senior year Holster had this secret, this decision weighing on him, and somehow Justin had no idea.   
  
Justin wanted to uncurl himself from around Holster and try to put the pieces together but every time he shifted Holster wrapped himself tighter around him. Justin wasn’t sure if he should take quite so much comfort in it.   
  
“You’re thinking too much.”   
  
Justin froze as the slurred words broke through the silence of the attic. Holster looked asleep; eyes closed, cheeks flushed slightly from the warmth of the room, limbs secure around Justin’s torso.   
  
“Relax Rans, we’ll figure it out together.”   
  
Justin closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, still not sure if Holster was actually awake or just so in-tune to Justin that he knew when he needed comfort, even while asleep.   
  
__ It wasn’t quite guilt but it wasn’t quite not-guilt.   


* * *

March was lying upside down on her bed, studying Justin like he was an alien species yet to be identified.

  
“I’m flattered, of course, that you’re telling me about what’s been going on but this really seems like more of a team-topic.” March hummed to herself. “Well I guess this actually feels more like a Holster-topic.”   
  
“Exactly! That’s the problem!” Justin threw his hands in the air, defeated. Despite promising each other they would talk about what everything meant for them and the future, things got busy as senior years tend to do and now Holster was out of town.  _ In Providence. _   
  
Sighing, March rolled over. She leveled Justin with a serious look, making sure he was paying attention to her.   
  
“Justin, that boy is more in love with you than I am. Not that that’s a bad thing, your friendship is beautiful, but it’s not very surprising that he made you a priority. The two of you are connected in a way that is very,  _ very  _ rare.” When Justin opened his mouth to argue, March silenced him with a single look. “Holster was with you for our first three dates, Justin. Three of them. Without April. Or any other girl for that matter.”   
  
Justin stood up from the chair and laid down on the bed beside her, his expression still conflicted. March continued, regardless. “You’re upset because Holster didn’t tell you what was going on but he probably thought he was doing the right thing. It’s not as if Holster wanting to put you first is a new development in your relationship, hun.”   
  
Justin had been on his back, staring at the ceiling but he finally turned to look at her once again.   
  
“He said he wanted me to decide before anything else because this was my dream.” Justin muttered. March nodded as if she had expected as much. “I didn’t even know my best friend was considering NHL. I didn’t even know about Holster’s dream.”   
  
“Did Holster?”    


* * *

The first thing Justin did when he returned from March’s was check the 20 some snapchats he had gotten from Holster.  
  
Some of the snaps were just of the city, or selfies of Holster with various statues and buildings he thought Justin would appreciate. He took a screenshot of two of them. Then there was the team. Justin knew of the players from (a) being an avid hockey fan, (b) Jack, and (c) Bitty and he knew Holster did too but it was bizarre to see it all through the shaky camera work of his best friend.  
  
Justin couldn’t even fully appreciate the awkward close up of Mashkov Holster had secured for him because he was still trying to wrap his head around seeing his best friend interacting with a NHL team, a team he would most likely be joining in a few months.  
  
He took a screenshot of it anyways.  
  
The next snap was obviously taken on the move, possibly of the floor. The caption read:  
  
 _Got to skate with Jack and the other Falconers!!!!1!!1!_  
  
Justin smiled at the unbridled enthusiasm Holster had managed to portray in a single, hastily taken snap.  
  
The last snap, sent just over twenty minutes ago, was simply of a sign. Outside a realtor’s office.  
  
Justin put his phone face down on the bed.  
  
He really hoped Bitty had some pie around.  
  
A chorus of “hellos” from the frogs greeted Justin when he entered the kitchen. Sure enough, a fresh baked pie sat out on the kitchen table. Cooled down enough to eat but still warm. Dex and Chowder were sitting at the table, and both had a piece of pie on a paper plate. Nursey was both pie and plate free but based on the smug look on his face and the disgruntled one on Dex’s he had just swiped some pie for himself regardless. Bitty was at the sink washing dishes, shaking his head at the frogs’ antics.  
  
Slicing a piece for himself Justin leaned against the counter, letting the frogs get back to whatever it was they had been discussing beforehand. If he had to guess it was a movie or a television show of some kind but a lot of the terminology was unfamiliar to him. Bitty caught his eye and shrugged.  
  
Alright, well let the frogs have their odd shared interests. It kept them all on friendly terms.  
  
When the conversation finally drifted into more familiar territory he chimed in, as did Bitty, when he was paying attention. But something was off with the frogs, who kept giving him looks similar to the ones he got from March earlier.  
  
“Is something on my face?” He finally addressed the issue head-on. Something he had, admittedly, been having trouble with otherwise.  
  
The three frogs all looked a bit sheepish.  
  
“Sorry Ransom it’s just…well it’s still odd to see you without Holster. We know he’s only gone for the weekend but it doesn’t seem quite right. Like he should be returning from the bathroom in a minute or something.”  
  
Leave it to Chowder.  
  
Justin exhaled heavily through his nose, hoping he didn’t come off sounding short. He knew they didn’t mean anything by it but the truth. Ransom & Holster weren’t often apart. “Yeah, it is but hey, he’s only gone until tomorrow night. Everything will be back to normal before you know it.”  
  
Justin elected to ignore the concerned gaze he felt trailing him as he retreated back to the attic.  
  
  
  
Justin hadn’t been back upstairs all of twenty minutes when he got a Skype call from Holster. For a brief moment his anxiety and conflicting feelings gave way to simple joy because, despite how off he had been feeling about everything relating to Holster, Chowder was right. It was odd to be without Holster for so long.  
  
He accepted the call and Holster’s face filled his screen. The angle was odd, and Justin assumed the call had been made from Holster’s phone rather than his computer. A towel was draped around Holster’s neck and his hair was wet, sticking to his pinkened skin in small curls. Holster said something to someone off camera before promptly dropping onto a bed. Once settled he adjusted the phone over his head and grinned up at Justin.  
  
“Having fun, Holtzy?”  
  
“It's crazy, Rans! And so much fun. The team is great.” Holster sighed dreamily and Justin tried not to laugh. “I get the feeling Jack pulled some strings to get me here but I don't care, I'll take it.”  
  
“How is Jack doing?”  
  
Holster had a curious look on his face, one Justin couldn't quite place.  
  
“He's great honestly. I mean he's still the crazy hockey robot we know and love of course, but he's genuinely happy.” Holster paused, before lowering his voice, not that it did much to actually lessen his volume. Holster was just a loud person, there was no getting around that. “Do you remember when Tater made that joke about Jack having a girlfriend in that Falconer video we watched with Bits?”  
  
Justin’s brow furrowed. “Yeah? So what?”  
  
“Tater wasn't the only one to joke about it today. The entire team seemed to be in on it. And honestly half of it didn't even seem like chirps but actual questions about his life and his girlfriend.”  
  
“Well even Shitty thought Jack was dating someone when he came back for the kegster.” Justin reminded him.  
  
“Yeah but Jack straight up denied having a girlfriend when Shitty asked. He just laughed it off when the team asked about a girl today.”  
  
Before Justin could come up with a reply to that, there was a knock on the door. Holster sat up on the bed when the door opened, turning his phone as he did.  
  
Justin watched Jack peek in.  
  
“Hey Holster-oh, hi Ransom.” Jack nodded towards the phone. Justin waved back. “I was about to start dinner. Did you want to eat here or were you still planning to check out those places Marty mentioned?”  
  
Justin heard Holster exhale loudly. “Actually I'm way more wiped than I thought I would be. Dinner here would be great. Do you need help with anything?”  
  
Jack shook his head. “No don't worry about it. I'll let you know when it's done.” Jack nodded towards Justin again. “See you Ransom, tell everyone ‘hi’ from me.”  
  
“Will do.” Justin and Holster chimed back as Jack shut the door.  
  
Holster rolled over to lay on his stomach this time, propping his phone up on a pillow.  
  
Justin waited until Holster was settled before he leveled him with a look. “Alright so come on Holtzy, enough with the gossip. I want to know everything.”  
  
Holster talked for nearly an hour, only stopping when Jack finally summoned him for dinner. And even then Justin had to interrupt a tangent to remind Holster to go eat. Holster finally said goodbye with a cheeky smile, blowing a kiss to the camera as he signed off.  
  
Justin fell asleep that night more relaxed than he had been in well over two weeks. He was going to Harvard. Holster was going to be a Falconer, only 53.6 miles away from him. Justin was still Ransom, and Holster was still Holster. Even if Holster had kept this big life decision a secret from him in the beginning he obviously felt no need to keep anything else a secret from him. They were going to be okay, whatever happened, Ransom & Holster were going to be okay.  
  
Justin fell asleep that night in Holster’s bed.   


* * *

Holster and Justin managed to keep the details of their after-Samwell-plans under wraps until a little over a week before graduation. They gathered the team in the living room when they were ready for the big reveal. Bitty and Lardo were the only ones who seemed to have any idea of what might be going on. Justin had a feeling Bitty only knew something was going on because of Jack, though he had been getting really good at reading the team. Justin chalked Lardo’s knowledge up to her just being Lardo. There wasn't much the boys could get past her. The team would be hard-pressed to find another manager as great as Lardo.   
  
Still the team gathered without question, or at least very little question. Justin and Holster stood before them, preparing to make the announcement. They had discussed at length how to tell the team. Holster had even suggested a PowerPoint, numerous times, but Justin had worried that would drag out the explanation. Holster made one anyways, but it was a back-up plan. If someone asked for details.   
  
“So we realize you all may be wondering why we gathered you here today,” Holster started the speech with his best “Captain voice.”   
  
“You're finally going to tell us the big secret of your after-Samwell plans?” Nursey guessed. Lardo laughed from her position, sprawled across Nursey and Chowder’s laps.   
  
Alright so they may have underestimated all who knew what was happening.   
  
“Why  _ did _ you keep it a secret for so long?” Tango asked.   
  
Holster pushed on as if no one had spoken.   
  
“It is time for the big reveal! Samwell Men’s Hockey Team’s own Justin ‘Ransom’ Oluransi, voted number three in Samwell’s 50 Most Beautiful,”   
  
A chorus of “boos” interrupted Holster. “Should have been number one!”   
  
Holster pointed to Nursey after the outburst. “Thank you, I absolutely agree. Fuck the LAX team.”   
  
Justin, and at least most of the team, knew only one LAX team member had made the list over him. Regardless, everyone echoed back faithfully: “Fuck the LAX team.”   
  
“Justin Oluransi, number three at Samwell and number one, in our hearts, will be continuing his riveting college education at, drumroll please,” Ollie and Wicks provided their best attempt on the back of the couch. “Harvard Medical School!”   
  
A chorus of cheers rang out and the team clamored around Justin with congratulatory hugs and slaps on the back. Harvard was his dream and it was mind-blowing to think in a few short months he would get the chance to pursue medicine there, but having so many people support him wholeheartedly was just as amazing.   
  
Justin waited until the team had settled down again before he cleared his throat for his announcement.   
  
“And for the resident blond, singing giant, your favorite co-captain, it's okay I know, our own Adam ‘Holster’ Birkholtz,” Ollie and Wicks provided a drum roll again. “Samwell Men’s Hockey Team say hello to the newest Providence Falconer.”   
  
A deafening silence fell over the room while the team stared up at them. For a moment, no one moved.   
  
“What-”   
  
“Are you serious?”   
  
“You ass!”   
  
Lardo was the first to finally move, hopping off the couch and slugging Holster’s arm. “I can't believe you didn't tell us you were considering NHL! What is wrong with you?”   
  
Lardo’s actions seemed to stir everyone else back to life and soon enough the Haus was once again filled with a chorus of cheers and congratulations.    


* * *

“This still feels sort of weird.” Justin admitted, lying beside March in her bed. “We had a good thing going, I feel like there should be something a little more special for a last hurrah.”   
  
March smiled. “I promise you that was very special.”   
  
Justin snorted. “I’m glad, but that’s not what I meant.”   
  
March propped herself up on one arm, resting her head on her hand. “I know, but where would we have found the time? Tomorrow is your last night at Faber with the team and then…”   
  
“Graduation.” Justin finished the thought for her. She was right of course. They had agreed months ago their relationship wasn’t going to continue past graduation and that now loomed days away. Justin sighed. “It just feels like we should honor this with something. March, I do really like you-”   
  
“And I, you. And at another time in another place this might be a good idea but you’re off to Boston and April and I are both headed for San Fran.” March leaned down for a kiss, setting a slow and sensual tempo, not unlike the one they had going only moments before. Breaking the kiss March smiled down at him, the same sly smile she had shared the first time they slept together. Realization poured over Justin like ice. It was Holster’s smile. Not exactly but similar enough, with the same quirks around the corner of her mouth, the same flash of pearly whites. He couldn’t believe it had been nearly two years and it wasn’t until now he was seeing the similarity.   
  
He pointedly ignored the horrible, nagging part of his brain that suggested it wasn’t  actually the first time he had noticed it.   
  
“So you and Holster figured everything out, right?”   
  
Justin nodded, moving to sit up. “I didn’t exactly mention my minor freak out at Holster keeping this a secret,” March made a disapproving noise in the back of her throat but didn’t otherwise comment. “But when he was in Providence and he still stopped to call me and tell me every little detail about his day, no secrets, and I realized this was Holster my best friend for four years, of course he was just doing what he thought was right. I would have liked to have been there for him, to help go through all the pros and cons and the excitement of being scouted by numerous teams but in the end I don’t think it would have changed the results.”   
  
March smiled, pressing a kiss to his side as she settled against him. “I’m glad things worked out.” Justin was about to agree when he felt March tense.   
  
“Everything okay?”   
  
March pointed at the alarm clock on her bedside table. “Didn’t Bitty or…Lardo insist on a team dinner tonight?”   
  
Justin glanced at the clock too. He was already half an hour late. “ _ Shit _ .”    


* * *

Justin and Holster were kneeling on the ice, calling for Lardo.   
  
“You are as much a part of this team as we are, get your butt out here!”   
  
Lardo had been standing firm but with each passing minute they could see her resolve crumbling. Bitty and the frogs stood near her in the stands, calling out encouragements. Everyone else had left for the year, after the team dinner Justin had been late to. He was chirped endlessly and stuck with dish duty despite being a graduating senior but the food was amazing and Holster helped with the dishes so in all he couldn’t complain.   
  
Now it was time for the traditional moment for all hockey seniors, the kissing of center ice.   
  
“It doesn’t feel right without you Lards, come on!”   
  
Everyone cheered when they watched Lardo take a hesitant first step onto the ice.   
  
When she finally reached center ice, Lardo kneeled in-between Justin and Holster. The three shared a look before bending down together. Justin kept his eyes closed, letting the cold wash over him. For just a moment time felt at a stand-still. He wasn’t sure about life flashing before your eyes right before death but it felt as if it was passing over him just then. There were so many memories ingrained into this ice, so many friendships forged because of it.   
  
When Justin finally straightened up he looked out at the stands first. Even from his position on the ice he could see Chowder’s teary face and Bitty turning away to wipe his eyes. Finally looking over at the two beside him, Justin was relieved to see he wasn’t the only one on-ice that was moved by the experience.   
  
After saying some final goodbyes to Faber the crew of seven made the trek up to the roof. The frogs were carrying most of their supplies while Bitty carried two pies and Holster lugged up a cooler. When they reached the top however, a blanket and small, portable fire pit had already been set up. Jack and Shitty sat facing the door.   
  
“What in the world are you guys doing here?” Justin asked while everyone got situated around the fire. 

Shitty shrugged. “Skipping class.” 

Lardo elbowed him in the ribs but he stuck with his answer.   
  
“We don’t have practice until late tomorrow instead of the morning so I thought it would be a good idea.” Jack replied simply.   
  
“It’s great to see you guys.” Holster added, sitting down besides Justin. Wordlessly he passed him a can of beer. Justin smiled his thanks before turning back to Shitty, who was getting to his feet.   
  
“A toast to the seniors,” Shitty started, lifting his can in the air. Everyone followed suit. “You guys are some of the best kids I know,” Shitty ignored the round of chirps that interrupted his toast for calling them “kids.” “Some of the best kids I know and I know you are all going to be wildly successful. You’ll do us all proud.” Shitty started to sniffle and Lardo cut him off, knocking his can with her own.   
  
“To the seniors.” She finished for him.   
  
“To the seniors.”   
  
“Law school is really messing with you, isn’t it, Shits?” Nursey asked once Shitty sat down again. Lardo and Jack both nodded before Shitty could reply.   
  
“We’ll change that next year though; won’t we Shits?” Justin chimed in, hoping to lighten the mood. He didn’t know what he would do if he or Holster genuinely started crying tonight.   
  
Shitty brightened, reaching around Lardo to fist-bump Justin. “That’s right. Those prudes won’t know what hit them with me and Rans on the scene.”   


* * *

Justin and Holster stood face to face in the attic, adjusting each other’s ties. Holster’s was blue, to match his eyes. Justin couldn’t be bothered to even remember what color tie he had picked out for himself. He thought it might be black but for all he cared it could be red or green. They were graduating today. A few hours away and they were officially done at Samwell. Officially moving on.   
  
“It’s crazy to be nervous, right?” Justin asked. Holster’s tie was perfect but he kept fidgeting with it anyways. As if he could somehow make it more perfect. Or maybe less perfect, so that the blue of Holster’s eyes wouldn’t pop quite so much.   
  
“Absolutely.” Holster agreed.   
  
“I kind of am, anyways.”   
  
Holster smiled. He was still fidgeting with Justin’s tie. “Me too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to apologize now for giving you all a false sense of hope-there is no rhyme or reason to my updating schedule and while I get a little more wiggle room right now because it is summer I do have classes starting up in a month and a whole bunch of shit I need to get...sorted so sometimes fanfiction has to take a back burner for a while. I will try to update as much as possible, as frequently as possible, and I have no intentions of abandoning this fic but please be patient with me if in a month or so updates start getting really, really slow
> 
> Now I must sleep because it is 4:30 in the morning...


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God it feels like I've been trying to finish this chapter for a week and I still ended up cutting it in half
> 
> Holster and Ransom's families are in this chapter so there are technically some OCs in here since we have yet to meet their families in canon just as fair warning

Adam’s mother bustled around the kitchen prepping for dinner while he made himself comfortable at one of the tall chairs of the island. He had offered help, but much like Bitty in the Haus, his small, blonde mother promptly ushered him out of her way.

Setting up a cutting board with carrots and celery, Katherine placed herself at the island across from her son. She started chopping like she was preparing food to feed an army.

“It just feels so…sudden.” Katherine complained in the midst of her chopping frenzy. Adam tried not to laugh.

“I’m a 24-year-old, college graduate. How sudden can this really be?” Adam reached for the beer in front of him but his mother swiped it first, leveling him with a challenging look. He settled back in his chair in surrender. “Besides, Maggie’s been up my ass for years asking when I’ll finally move out so she can get her own room.”

Adam’s step-sister, Margaret, turned around to stick her tongue out at him before returning to her fridge-raid.

“If it wasn’t for the Haus I probably would have been looking for a place by Samwell after sophomore year.” Adam continued. 

“Well…yes, but I’m sure you would have been looking with your boyfriend then. Now you’re gonna be all alone in a new city.”

Adam sighed, running a hand over his face and counting to ten. “I’m a big boy now, Ma, I think I can take care of myself. And for the last time, Ran-Justin is not my-”

“Oh I know, I’m sorry.” Katherine, having run out of vegetables to chop, started in on a loaf of bread Elizabeth, another one of Adam’s younger sisters, had brought home from the bakery.

A text notification interrupted the lull in conversation.  _ Ransom _ . Maggie made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a whip cracking, before fleeing the kitchen. 

Elizabeth, who had been sitting behind Adam at the dining room table cleared her throat. “She just uh,”

“Yeah, I know.”

His mother,  _ finally _ , put down her knife.

“Alright. What exactly is the plan?”

Adam shifted in his seat. “Justin and I are meeting at Niagara Falls like we did every year for Samwell. Then we’re cutting across to Boston first so he can get settled with-” Katherine sent him a sharp look. Katherine had never been a fan of hockey nicknames and refused to use them around the house. She absolutely did not believe Adam whenever he insisted no one knew Shitty’s first name. “Uh...Knight and then down to Providence so we can spend some time together before Falconers’ practice starts. Depending on how long everything takes at the Falls and in Boston I might head to Providence a little before him to start getting the apartment in order, but otherwise that’s the plan.”

“Do you already have your apartment?” Elizabeth piped up, abandoning her laptop to sit beside Adam at the island. Elizabeth had been gone most of the summer for some kind of volunteer work she was doing with the education department of SUNY. She had only just gotten back two weeks ago and was a little out of the loop about everything. Though with the way his mother was acting, one would think Adam had left everyone out of the loop.

Not that he had been making a habit of that or anything lately.

Adam nodded, pulling out his phone to show Elizabeth some of the pictures he had taken the last time he was in Providence. A few weeks prior, Adam had gone down to Providence again to meet with the real-estate agent Jack had introduced him to before. Ransom had some kind of family reunion the same weekend so he couldn’t come with but Adam kept him on a video chat for all the walkthroughs. Ransom typed up Excel sheets as they went along and helped Adam make a decision before he headed back to Buffalo.

His mother, who had already seen the pictures many times, came around to look at the pictures with Elizabeth. Adam rolled his eyes, but let them look, answering any of their questions as best he could.

“We’re going too.” His mother finally said, going around to the fridge to get out the marinated chicken for dinner while he gaped at her.

“I'm sorry, you're doing what?”

“We’re going to Providence. Four extra pairs of hands will do you better than just one or two setting up an apartment. And I still need to give it my seal of approval. I'm mad enough you made these big choices without telling me,  _ your mother _ , the least you can give me is a chance to make sure you're living okay.”

Adam looked to Elizabeth for some kind of confirmation that he wasn't imagining this. She smiled at him, shrugging as she handed back his phone.  
  
“Oh you and Justin can have your date and you can relax in Boston with...your friend. We’ll just go ahead to Providence and start setting up the apartment. Then you only have to worry about putting your personal touch on things when you get there.”

Adam stood up instinctively to help when his mother started getting out pots and pans as she talked. She thrust some of the larger ones that were in her way into his hands.

“That’s a really nice…offer but mom you don’t have to-”

“I am offering  _ nothing _ , Adam.” Katherine jabbed at him with a small frying pan. “I am your mother and I am telling you what is going to happen. Now go set the table.”

Adam shared an incredulous look with Elizabeth.

“Did I just get ordered into accepting her help?”

* * *

The first Oluransi Adam saw when he arrived at Niagara Falls was not Ransom but Mr. Oluransi, at the family car, rummaging around for something. For a moment Adam sat in his car, unsure if that was truly the Oluransi’s old, beat-up mini-van Ransom swore was safer than it looked or if he had imagined it. However, there was no mistaking the middle aged man who appeared from the car a few minutes later triumphantly brandishing a digital camera. Ransom was very nearly the spitting image of his father. Twenty more years and a few less squats and there was Ransom’s future.

Slinging his backpack over his shoulder Adam climbed out of his car and waved. “Mr. O!”

Mr. Oluransi turned towards him, smiling and waving when he saw him. “Adam! Glad to see you made it.  Safe drive?”

Adam smiled, letting the older man pull him into a hug. “Of course.”

As they walked Mr. Oluransi launched into the story of the family’s drive to the falls and why he was out at the car instead of admiring the view with his family complete with changing voices and wild arm movements. It wasn’t a very complicated tale but by the time the two caught up with the other Oluransis Adam was wiping tears from his eyes, face red from laughter. Mr. Oluransi was good at that. He had a knack for story-telling like no one else Adam had ever met. It was hard not to feel comfortable around him, especially while in the middle of his storytelling. 

Mrs. Oluransi met up with them first, stopping the two men to give Adam a once over before pulling him in for a hug and a kiss on both cheeks. 

“Adam I swear you look taller every time I see you.” 

“And Joyce, my one true love, you look more beautiful every time I see you.” Adam replied, catching her hand to place a kiss on the back of it. Mrs. Oluransi, Joyce, laughed tossing her head back while she waved him off. Adam bit back a smile. Ransom may have looked like his father but his laugh was 100 percent from his mother.

“You boys are ridiculous I tell you, completely insane.” 

Adam turned to wink at Mr. Oluransi, who he never quite felt right referring to as Jay despite Mr. Olurnasi’s insistence. “I haven’t forgotten about you however Mr. O, Joyce may be my one true love but you are my favorite, my hero, my-” Mr. Oluransi swatted at him. He was trying to keep his expression schooled to something serious and disapproving but Adam could see the twinkle in his eye.

“I thought Justin said you grew out of flirting with everything that moves.” An arm linked up with his, tugging him away from Ransom’s parents. He turned to find Ransom’s older sister, Jessica, pulling him towards the falls with a determined expression.

“Does it count as flirting if everything I say is genuine?” Adam shot back. Jess rolled her eyes.

“I don’t care what you call it as long as you hurry it up. I actually have stuff to do today, but mom  _ insisted  _ I stick around for pictures so flirt or woo my parents afterwards,  _ please _ .” 

Adam bat his eyes at her. “Anything for you, Jess.”

 

Ransom and his younger sister, Jasmine, were looking down at the falls leaning, probably, much further than safety regulations would recommend over the rails. Adam couldn’t hear what they were saying over the rush of water, but Jasmine was gesturing at different parts of the falls and the two looked to be talking a mile a minute. Jessica whistled to get their attention. 

Ransom turned his 100-watt smile on Adam when he saw them and Adam felt his pulse spike. He could only pray Jessica wasn’t paying close attention to him and his weird behavior. It had obviously been too long since Ransom & Holster were together if his body started reacting weirdly. Ransom moved away from the railing and was headed towards them when a solid weight ran into Adam, knocking him to the side. Jessica quickly released her hold on his arm. He managed to stay on his feet but just barely. He righted himself, looking back at Jasmine from where she clung to his back.

“ _ How _ !? How did that  _ still _ not knock you over?” Jasmine complained, thumping his chest half-heartedly. “I’ve been working out  _ all year _ .”

“Well I guess you still have a way to go.”

Jasmine groaned, knocking her head against his. “It’s not fair. I got Justin with that when he came home.”

Adam  _ tsked _ , shaking his head at Ransom while he tried in vain to deny Jasmine’s claim.

“Jasmine Elise what do you think you’re doing?” Joyce scolded as the Oluransi parents joined them. Grumbling Jasmine wiggled off of his back.

“I’ll get you one day Birkholtz.”

“I look forward to it.” Adam held out a hand towards Mr. Oluransi. “I’d be happy to take those pictures for you.”

Adam managed to get quite a few pictures of the Oluransi family and different combinations of parents and children before Joyce managed to wave over someone else and ask them to take the pictures for them. For the next ten minutes Adam was shifted around, smiling into the camera with the rest of them. When the stranger finally returned the camera to Mr. Oluransi, Jessica was practically running in place she was so antsy.

“I’m going to be so late.” She moaned, trying to sound as miserable as she possibly could. The Oluransi parents were suddenly very absorbed in their camera. Rolling her eyes Jessica turned her attention back to Ransom, pulling him into a tight hug. “You’re gonna do great Justin.” Ransom smiled, curling himself around his sister’s smaller form and whispering his thanks. A camera shutter sounded a few feet away.

Jessica broke their embrace to press a kiss to Ransom’s forehead. She turned to Adam, punching him on the arm, lightly. “Congrats on the draft.”

Adam wrapped Jessica in a hug, pressing a sloppy kiss to her cheek despite her groans. “Ugh. The second little brother I never wanted.” 

The Oluransis, and Adam, waved farewell to Jessica as she flew to her car, muttering about appointment times all the while. 

Mr. Oluransi turned back to the family, clapping his hands together. “How about letting us take you boys to an early dinner before you hit the road?”

Ransom and Adam exchanged looks. That wasn’t exactly the normal routine for their Niagara Falls trip but neither was the entire Oluransi family joining them, or their impromptu photo shoot. 

“We just have to do one last thing,” Adam said, pulling out his phone. Ransom nodded, pulling Adam towards the railings without another word to his family.

A few minutes later Mr. and Mrs. Oluransi and Jasmine, followed by Ransom and Adam left Niagara Falls in search of an early dinner. 

And across the country the Samwell Men’s Hockey team was receiving two snapchats, one from Ransom and one from Adam, of their annual selfie at Niagara Falls.

* * *

“You’re late!” Shitty called down from his balcony as they pulled up roughly eight hours later. Someone else in the complex called for him to shut up. “Thought you boys had gotten lost.”

Adam rolled his eyes, climbing out of the car. Ransom followed suit, muttering something under his breath.

A different neighbor climbed out onto their balcony and looked up at Shitty.

“Some of us are trying to have a peaceful night,  _ Knight.  _ This isn’t a frat house. Keep it down.”

Shitty’s eloquent reply consisted of two middle fingers.

Adam shared a look with Ransom. “Are you sure you want to room with him? We could leave now while he’s distracted.”

“I heard that Birkholtz!” Shitty called down, turning his two finger salute to the blond. “Keep it up and you’ll sleep in the car.”

Adam grinned. “Bro, NHL remember? I can actually afford to just go get a room.”

Shitty waved him off. “Bullshit, you haven’t done squat yet. Give me a minute and I’ll be down to help carry stuff up.”

Adam turned to Ransom again, holding up the keys. “Last chance.”

Ransom shoves his shoulder, swiping the keys. “Shut up, Holtzy. Grab a bag.”

 

Thankfully between the three boys it only takes two trips to get everything of Ransom’s from Adam’s car to Shitty’s apartment. Mostly because Shitty’s guest room was already furnished with all the necessary furniture and Ransom just needed to bring his necessary personal belongings. Adam was dropping off the last box, an extra, yet-to-be-assembled bookcase from IKEA, when Ransom and Shitty started arguing in the living room.

“Would you just tell me how much the damn rent is already?” Ransom was pleading. Adam couldn’t help but think he sounded like Jack when Shitty was being particularly difficult.

“For the last time Oluransi, I’m not taking your money!”

Ransom had explained to Adam during the car ride that Shitty was particularly unforthcoming with information about the apartment despite having offered his spare room to Ransom so the new med student wouldn’t have to look for an apartment. Adam moved to lean against the doorway while the two bickered. 

“Shits, I don’t want to mooch off of you would you please-”

“You’re not. We are both equally mooching off of my obscenely well-endowed parents. If they suddenly lose all of their money and we run the risk of being homeless, then we can talk rent.”

Ransom made a low, frustrated noise and turned to Adam. “Holtzy.”

He shrugged. “We all know how you can get when you’re stressed Rans, maybe it’s best that you can tackle this first year without having to worry about a job or bills.”

Ransom looked  _ highly _ insulted. “You’re taking  _ his _ side?”

Adam held up his hands in surrender, turning on his heel. “I’m…gonna go see about setting up this bookcase.”

 

Half a bookcase, two rants, and four beers later the boys fell into bed in a mess of limbs and mismatched sheets. Shitty hung around long enough to get teary eyed, whispering about missing his boys, before he finally decided there was more comfort to be found in his room.

Adam still had his glasses on and he could feel his arm starting to fall asleep under him but he felt too tired to move. “I really thought the three of us would be sharing for a while there.”

Ransom responded with a quiet, airy laugh. He settled heavily against Adam, evidently unbothered by the extra metal and glass stuck to Adam’s face. Adam shifted and his free arm naturally went around Ransom. The room was quiet save for their matched breathing and the soft puttering of the overhead fan. It was nice. Closing his eyes, he could feel himself starting to drift off. The sheets smelled like the Oluransi house and Ransom was pressed close enough that Adam could smell his cologne. It was relaxing, comforting almost. 

“Have you heard from your family? Did they get to the apartment okay?” Ransom whispered. Adam started to nod but it felt like too much effort.

“Mom was texting me pictures while you two were arguing.” Adam thought about showing Ransom the pictures but reaching for his phone was  _ definitely _ too much effort. “They’ve already started arguing amongst themselves about what is the best layout for the living room.” If his eyes were open, Adam would have rolled them. That was exactly the kind of behavior he had expected from his family. The room was drifting back into silence but Adam wanted to fill it suddenly. “Apparently Savannah is leaving some of her stuffed animals in my room so I won’t be lonely when I get there.” Adam couldn’t see Ransom’s smile but he could hear it in his voice when Ransom “aww-ed.”  Adam smiled softly as well. “I think I’m gonna head over tomorrow, maybe after dinner.”

“You should take your glasses off before you break them.” Adam opened one eye to look at Ransom. Rans was still lying on his back but he turned his head to face him. “Seriously you break your glasses more than anyone I know.”

“Too much work.” Adam mumbled into the sheets in reply. 

Ignoring his muffled, whiny complaints Ransom wiggled the glasses off of Adam’s face and put them on the bedside table. 

“I’ll probably be here another day or two.” Ransom finally added. “Then I’ll head down. If that’s still okay.” 

Adam opened his eyes again to study Ransom like he had grown another head.

“What the hell, Rans? Of course it’s ‘okay.’ It’s not like you have to ask.” He tried to keep his expression as serious as possible while half of it was still smashed against a mattress. “Ever.” 

Ransom brushed Adam’s bangs out of his eyes. “Good night, Holtzy.”

Adam wrapped his arm tighter around Ransom’s middle. “Night Rans.”

* * *

Adam’s family stuck around for a day and a half after he arrived in Providence. Most of the larger furniture had been placed before he arrived so all he really had to do was move things into his preferred layout. This morning his mother woke him up, obscenely early, to go shopping for things he didn’t bring with him, that she was  _ positive _ he would need. Adam had input on looks for certain things but overall he was there as more of a pack mule than an active shopper. After lunch the family packed up and headed back to Buffalo. Adam loved his family and between three little sisters and the Haus, he was used to being in a lively environment. He couldn’t deny however that he much more relaxed he was when he was finally alone. 

Adam had a few more hours before Ransom arrived and in almost no time at all he found himself leaving his new, unfamiliar apartment, itching to do something. Unfortunately, Providence was still a mostly unfamiliar city and there were only so many places he knew how to get to.

Twenty minutes later, he pulled up to the ice rink.

Shouldering his duffle bag, Adam headed into the practice facility of the Providence Falconers with an odd, nervous energy buzzing just under his skin. Officially he was a Falconer. The contracts were all written up and signed, he had met the team, was given a key and access to the facilities. And yet the feeling that he did not belong washed over him as he walked through the door. It was still bizarre, months later, to think that he had gotten this far. That he,  _ Adam Birkholtz _ , was now a NHL player (even if he hadn’t done much playing yet).

The nervous buzz didn’t fade as Adam wandered the facility. It certainly showed no signs of disappearing after two wrong turns. The only time he felt himself start to relax was as he traded his sneakers for his skates in the locker room and headed out to the rink.

Adam heard the laughter before he saw the other inhabitants. 

“I told y’all this was a bad idea from the get-go. Honestly what would the fans say if they could see you now?”

He may have been able to excuse the laughter but there was no mistaking that southern drawl. 

It was a bit silly for him to think he might find the ice rink empty, but he certainly never expected to see Alexei Mashkov and Jack Zimmerman on their asses on the ice, while one Eric Bittle laughed at them from the other end of the rink. For a moment Adam thought he might be hallucinating but then Bitty spotted him on the side lines. Adam watched the realization wash over Bitty. There was surprise, a little embarrassment, happiness, and then he could only hope he imagined the horror he saw take over Bitty before the southern schooled his expression back to something cheerful.

“Holster!” Bitty waved, drawing the attention of the other two hockey players his way. Mashkov grinned and waved as well but Jack’s expression was unreadable. Trying not to read too much into their reactions he made his way onto the ice.

“So, is this the way real NHL players play hockey?” He chirped. Jack’s expression finally relaxed into something a little friendlier while Mashkov laughed. Bitty sighed, crossing his arms over his chest with a fond look.

“Jack apparently mentioned he had an ex-figure skater on his old team and Tater wanted to meet me. They wanted to learn a jump. Thankfully neither of them got high or far enough to actually hurt themselves.”

Adam arched a brow at Jack. “ _ They _ ?”

“Zimmboni was good. Even if cheater.” Mashkov, Tater, explained cheerily, shoving Jack lightly.

“Just because I’ve seen Bittle do a jump before does not make me a cheater.” Jack argued stubbornly but his bright eyes betrayed his serious expression. Adam got the feeling this argument had started long before he had arrived on the ice. 

Bitty rolled his eyes. “Mind helping get these two on their feet again?” He asked, bumping Adam’s arm lightly with his own. 

Once up right, Tater looked more than ready to try the jump a second time. Adam and Jack hung back while Bitty started to explain the steps again, only to be cut off by Tater’s cell phone ringing in his pocket. If he wasn’t mistaken, Tater’s ringtone was The Star-Spangled Banner. And as an ex-choir boy it was not often he was mistaken about things like that. Jack didn’t seem to think anything of it, but Adam noticed Bitty’s expression showing confusion at the song choice as well. Tater didn’t bother to answer, or even pull out, his phone but he gave Bitty an apologetic smile.

“I have to go. Thanks for lesson, Itty-Bitty!” Tater headed off the ice, waving goodbye to Jack and Adam as he went. 

Adam started doing laps once he knew he wouldn’t be in the way of their jumps. Nothing serious or taxing but something to keep him moving. 

“So are you officially all moved in?” Bitty asked, skating up besides him after two laps. Adam studied Bittle as the ex-figure skater kept up with him. Nothing about Bitty seemed off and he didn’t seem to be treating him any differently. Still Adam couldn’t shake the flash of near-terror he had seen on Bitty’s face. Adam looked away.

“A few boxes here and there still but otherwise I’m set.” Adam confirmed. “What are you doing in Providence?”

Holster  _ knew _ he didn’t imagine it that time. Bitty froze as if Adam had just caught him doing something bad. 

“I was visiting Jack before I headed back to Samwell for the year.” Bitty finally said.

“Isn’t it a little early to head back?”

Jack skated up alongside Bitty. “Bittle is hoping to make it back before anyone else and finally get rid of the green couch.” Jack snitched with a grin. Adam slapped a hand to his chest.

“Eric Richard Bittle. You wouldn’t!”

Bitty groaned, glaring at the two of them. “That horrid thing is a hazard and I am getting rid of it before someone gets sick or dies from contracting something off of it.”

Adam and Jack both chirped Bitty for his worries but Bitty wouldn’t budge from his stance. 

“I can’t believe it. The Haus won’t be the same without the couch.”

“The Haus will stop being a bio-hazard without that damn couch.” Bitty muttered. Then he scowled. “Well maybe not, but I have to try to make it a little better.”

 

The three skated for another hour and a half before Bitty and Jack started getting ready to leave the rink. Adam stayed on the ice taking slow, lazy laps. He just wanted a few more minutes to himself to clear his head and then he was going to head home. His fingers were starting to go numb in the cold.

“Holster, do you have plans tonight?” He looked up from his daydreaming when Jack called out to him.

“Rans is coming into town. Other than that I guess not. Why?”

“Bitty’s been itching to cook something in my kitchen. Why don’t the two of you come over for dinner?” Jack said with a nod to the locker room where Bitty was still changing.

“You know we can’t say no to Bitty’s cooking.”

Jack nodded as if he expected as much. “How about eight o’clock?”

“It’s a date.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really do not know how to write Shits man
> 
> The Zimbits-Holsom dinner was supposed to be in this chapter but I just really needed this chapter to end before I went crazy so next chapter it is
> 
> Thank you everyone who has read this story so far your feedback is really wonderful and I'm so happy to keep writing this story knowing people who are as in love with these dumb boys as I am care about it


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry. I am the literal worst. 
> 
> I hope y'all enjoy anyways. If you notice something a little off about the narrative, that is because I changed how I referred to the boys based on the POV of the chapters. I also went back and changed the previous chapters to match this style. Nothing really changed besides that so there's no real reason to re-read them unless you need a refresher on the plot because I am The Worst and its been that long since the last update.

“I still cannot believe you convinced me this was a good idea. I need to stash this somewhere.”

Justin rolled his eyes at Holster while the blond looked around the hallway for a hiding place. He came up empty handed.

“Holtzy it’s not that weird. We were invited to dinner. It’s polite to bring a gift for your hosts.” He explained, for at least the tenth time since he made Holster stop at the store. Holster thrust the newly purchased bottle of wine in his face.

“This? This is weird. It’s Bitty and Jack! They aren’t expecting a hosting gift.” Holster huffed. Justin pushed the bottle out of his face.

“Bits will probably really appreciate it.” Justin offered.

“Or he’ll send us to the psych ward to get our heads checked because we’re acting like…”

“Adults? Holster, you are twenty-four. You know that right?”

Holster ran a hand over his face. “If you call me Adam-”

Justin interrupted by, finally, knocking on Jack’s door.

A moment later the door swung open. There was a swipe of some kind of sauce on Jack’s cheek and though he wasn’t smiling his expression was soft and warm.

“Hey guys, glad you could make it.” Jack’s brow furrowed when he saw the bottle in Holster’s hand. “Is that wine?”

“Rans made me do it.” Holster replied, shoving the bottle into Jack’s hands. Surprised, Jack took the bottle and read the label.

“That’s great actually, Bittle will be ecstatic. He just got done scolding me for not having anything to offer guests but protein shakes.”

“Oh Jack, never change.” Holster muttered while Justin hid his snickers behind his hand. Jack looked confused but waved them inside regardless, turning towards his kitchen as they came in. Once his back was to them Justin turned to Holster to stick his tongue out.

With a roll of his eyes Holster shoved Justin after Jack, into the kitchen where Bitty was currently examining the bottle of wine. When the small, blond baker noticed the two his expression brightened.

“Now who in the hell are you and what have you done with Ransom and Holster? You not only brought wine to dinner, but you brought _good_ wine.” Bitty said in lieu of a greeting.

“Aw Bits only the best for you.” Holster chimed in before Justin could say anything. He pointedly ignored the glare Justin sent his way. Bitty still looked a bit suspicious of the offering but he put it aside to hug the two regardless.

“Now then, dinner’s almost ready so you boys get out of my kitchen while I finish up.”

“Your kitchen, Bittle?” Jack chirped immediately, grinning at the blond.

“Yes it is mine because I am the only one who has taken the time to appreciate it. You just happen to be living with it.” Bitty replied, running a hand, almost lovingly, across the front of Jack’s oven. “Now shoo.”

Jack shook his head, just barely masking his smile. “Come on Rans, I’ll give you the grand tour.”

Though Holster had already received the tour the last time he was in Providence he dutifully followed Jack and Justin out of the kitchen while Bitty resumed cooking.

 

Not too much later Bitty and Jack put the food out onto the already set table while Justin and Holster tried their best to stay out of the way. They had both offered to help but Bitty waved them off, insisting he was fine. Jack ignored Bitty’s protests, reminding him once again that technically _he_ was the host and Bittle was also a guest. It did little in the way of making Bitty relax but he didn’t stop Jack when he started to help move things around.

Holster then proceeded to show Justin up as “helpful guest #2” by, _somehow_ , remembering where Jack kept his wine opener. Jack and Bitty both looked surprised.

“I honestly don’t remember buying one of those.” Jack said in bewilderment as Holster handed off the corkscrew.

“I think we’re all equally as surprised.” Justin admitted.

Bitty arched a brow at Holster, hand on his hip. “I can’t imagine you boys split a bottle the last time you were over, so how in the world did you know where to look?”

Holster chuckled as he slid into the seat besides Justin. “I remembered seeing it when I was looking for a peeler before and thinking ‘What in the hell is Jack doing with a corkscrew? He doesn’t drink wine?’ and for some reason, of all things, that’s what stuck about this apartment.”

Jack squinted at him across the table. “You still didn’t remember which door was the bathroom when you left.”

“Never have I claimed to understand the inner workings of the human mind.” Holster replied with a shrug.

“If you decide on neuroscience after all Rans, you’ve got a whole teams worth of case studies.”

Justin smiled as Jack handed him his glass, pretending to seriously consider the suggestion. “The effects of years of hockey on the brain. It could be an interesting dissertation.”

Holster and Bitty both rolled their eyes.

“ _Have_ you made any decisions about what you’d like to focus on?” Bitty asked once they all started in on the meal.

Justin shrugged a shoulder. He and Holster had been weighing the pros and cons of general practice versus emergency medicine for him since practically their freshman year.

“It’s a toss-up between general practice and emergency.” Holster answered for him.

Bitty furrowed his brow. “Those are…rather different.”

Holster opened his mouth to start explaining what the two of them had been dancing between for ages but Justin cut him off.

“Actually recently I’ve also been looking into athletic medicine.”

Jack, who had been privy to more than one of their debates, looked reasonably surprised but Bitty simply gave a knowing smile. Justin glanced over at Holster. The blond stared at him, mouth ajar.

“So Holster, excited to start the preseason with the Falconers?” Bitty interjected.

Holster turned away from Justin to respond and Justin sent a grateful smile toward Bitty.

 

They finished the bottle of wine, and spent some time considering having something else before they remembered Jack didn’t have anything, before Justin and Holster got ready to leave.  Bitty started to clear the table, rambling on about making something for Justin and Shitty before he headed back to Boston, as well as something for Holster to have at home. In-between his planning, Justin, Holster, and Jack all tried to help him with the dishes but he waved them off.

“Nonsense, I’m headed to the kitchen anyways. I need to take stock of what’s here. I might be able to get started on the dough tonight.” Bitty insisted, though Justin honestly doubted Bitty didn’t know what Jack had in his kitchen. Or that Jack wouldn’t have stocked up before Bitty’s arrival. There was some rustling and banging around in the kitchen before he stuck his head out. “Would y’all like to take the leftovers from tonight? Jack’s got plenty here.”

Holster looked over at Jack. “That true, Zimmermann?”

Jack quirked a smile. “I’m pretty sure Nate would keel over if he saw my fridge.”

That’s all it took. “Hell yeah, Bits! Show me the goods.”

Holster disappeared into the kitchen after Bitty, ignoring Justin and Jack’s snickers.

It was nearly another hour before Justin and Holster finally made it out of Jack’s apartment. But now Holster had food for a week, at least. Jack and Bitty walked the two to the door as they left, promising to let them know ahead of time when Justin was going back to Boston.

Justin led the way out of the apartment. But halfway to the elevator he realized Holster wasn’t with him. Turning around, Justin saw Holster, arms full of borrowed Tupperware containers, standing in front of Jack’s door with a peculiar expression. Justin backtracked a few steps.

“You okay, bro?”

Holster started, as if he had forgotten Justin was with him. “Sorry, yeah. Just thought I heard something. Anyway let’s go. My arms are already starting to get tired holding these things.”

“Aw does the big, strong NHL star need some help?” Justin chirped.

* * *

Justin had long since stopped paying attention to whatever was on television. He was lying propped against the arm of Holster’s couch, with the blond’s head in his lap. He had been combing his fingers through Holster’s hair for the better part of an episode but they had been in the same position for an hour or so.

“Are you really considering athletic med?” Holster asked as the episode came to an end.

Justin nodded, though Holster wasn’t looking at him. “Emergency or general are still my top two but I’ve just been looking into it recently. I mean…you and Jack are going pro, Chowder probably has some scouts looking out for him now. And I’ve been on the other side of it all so I know what it’s like out there. It could give me an edge. Knowing what to look for.”

Holster was silent as the next episode queued up. “Yeah that makes sense. You’ll need to work on your massage skills a little more if you really do go down that path though. Lots of sore muscles for you to work on, and your soft hands are pretty much an on-ice exclusive.”

Holster swore when Justin pinched him, but he was laughing.

“Fucker.” Justin muttered, despite his smile.

Holster sat up and matched his smile. “You’ll do great whatever you chose, bro. I have no doubt.”

“You’re biased.”

Holster shrugged. “You still will.”

The blond moved to lie down again, but only made it half way before he shot up off the couch. Justin watched him, bewildered, as Holster stumbled out of the room and headed towards the bedrooms.

“Holtzy?”

“One sec!” Holster returned a moment later and kneeled on the ground beside the couch, in front of Justin. “I wanted to give you this before I forgot.”

Still a bit unsure of exactly what was going on, Justin held out his hand. Holster pressed a small, cool key into his palm.

A key.

Justin looked up from the key to see Holster studying his face with a serious expression.

“I would hope you know after all this time that you are literally _always_ welcome, but…just to make sure.”

“You’re giving me a key to your apartment?”

“Bro, Rans, of course I am. Hell, if there was a reasonable way to do this we would have an apartment together I’m sure.”

Justin snorted. “Like if the Bruins offered you a contract and resuscitation was successful after you received it?”

Holster groaned. “Shut the fuck up. But yes.”

Justin closed his first tightly around the small key, letting the metal bite into his skin. Holster finally stood up and climbed back onto the couch. A moment later his head was back in Justin’s lap while he complained about whatever was happening in the latest episode, as if he hadn’t missed most of it talking about the key and apartment.

“Thanks, Holtzy.”

Holster held up a fist for a fist-bump without looking away from the screen. Justin bit back his smile as he tapped his hand, still wrapped around the key, against Holster’s.

“Always, bro.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter feels much shorter than the previous ones but this felt like a good place to end it and after spending most of my winter break fighting with it, I was happy to be done.
> 
> Hopefully the next chapter will be (a) longer and (b) completed in a much shorter time period


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this update took forever and a day
> 
> Honestly if you all saw the folder of fics on my computer you would probably cry, it's pretty bad.
> 
> Anyhow, this chapter is pretty short because the important part I really wanted to write in Ransom's point of view so this ended up very filler-ish, but I also uploaded Ransom's chapter so it's slightly better.

“Yes, Ma, of course I’ve been eating well.” Adam reassured his mother, for the fourth time in their twenty minute call. “It would be really hard to keep up with NHL players on Doritos and Red Bull.” Adam sighed, throwing open his car door when that sent his mother on another tangent. “Of course that’s not all I ate at college. You know Eric was feeding us.”

“I’m just worried about you.” Katherine finally admitted. “I know you’re an adult, Adam, but this is the first time you’ve really been on your own. Even Lizzie spent more time alone than you have, between your different teams.”

“I’m not really alone,” Adam insisted, grabbing his duffle from the backseat. “Jack’s here, and everyone on the team is really great. It’s only about an hour to The Haus or to Boston to see Justin and Shi-Knight.” Adam smiled to himself when he thought of the little stuffed giraffe tucked into his blankets upstairs. “And I’ve got Buble taking care of me when they’re not available.”

His mother was quiet for a moment while he went through the lobby. “I wondered what Savannah had done with him. I couldn’t believe it when I saw her napping on the couch without him.”

“Guess she was worried about me too. But I’m _fine_.”

“You’re happy too, right? Not just okay?”

Adam quickly discovered that practice with the Falconers was both similar and very different from Samwell. By day two, Tater had dubbed him Holtzy and it was quickly catching on with the rest of the team. Not unfamiliar with being called by the nickname, Adam had no problem responding to it. Jack still called him Holster.

On ice, the team clicked well. Lost in the frantic energy of exercises and mock games, assisting Jack with winning goals or listening to his captain speeches at the end of practice, it was easy for Adam to forget exactly what had changed.

But then, a pass missed or a new play didn’t work. Almost instinctually he looked for Ransom across the ice and then he remembered.

After a hard practice, Adam would prepare for Jack’s usual dry, but motivational speeches. Instead, Thirdy commemorates their effort, reminds them of their upcoming schedule, and makes a crack about going to see his real kids before releasing them.

Lardo’s sarcastic quips about practice or the state of their locker room every afternoon are replaced by George checking in on them once in a while with motivational, but slightly threatening, reminders of the upcoming season.

It was new, but it was good. He didn’t click with the Falconers quite like he did with his Samwell team, but he didn’t have any problems with them. And even as a new player without potential for much ice time, there was something unbelievably thrilling about playing with a NHL team.

“Yeah, Ma. I’m happy.”

Katherine sighed, but she sounded relived this time, rather than worried. “Good. Well we’ll see you soon.”

Adam froze, key shoved halfway into the lock. “You’re coming to the game?”

“Excuse me, young man, who do you think I am? Miss my baby’s first NHL game? You must be joking.”

Adam laughed, despite himself. “Of course, don’t know what I was thinking.” He let himself into his apartment. Music was playing softly in the background. He had no memory of leaving music on when he left for practice, but he ignored it in favor of toeing off his shoes and finally dropping his duffle bag to the ground. “You’re gonna stay here again? Yeah of course its fine, I just have to make sure I make up the rooms again. Mags can’t already be that used to having her own room, I think she’ll be fine.”

Adam made it to his living room before he realized he definitely did not leave music on in the morning. Ransom lounged on the couch, engrossed in a textbook that looked easily five pounds on its own.

“Adam? Are you alright?”

“Yeah, sorry.”

Ransom looked up when Adam spoke, greeting him with a sheepish grin and a wave.

His mother tsked, as if she knew what was going on. “We’ll be there Thursday; the girls have a half-day. Love you.”

“Love you too, Ma. Tell everyone I said hi.”

Adam ended the call, tossing his phone onto the coffee table and dropping onto the empty space on the couch. He couldn’t stop staring at Ransom, sitting perfectly at home in his apartment.

“Welcome home, dude. How was practice?” Ransom said, placing a post-it inside his textbook and closing it.

“Uh…good.” Adam pursed his lips. “Not that it’s not completely ‘swaesome to see you, but don’t you have a hugely important lecture hall on Thursdays that you swore you would not skip all semester?”

Ransom grinned. “My professor had a family emergency out of town and canceled. And my last class ended early today because we’re supposed to be doing research on a paper that’s due next week, but I already knew my subject, so I had a free afternoon.” He took a deep breath. “When I came back from class, Lardo was also over and it kinda seemed like her and Shits needed some privacy.”

“No shit? Well damn, it took ‘em long enough.”

Ransom laughed. “What four years? That’s nothing.”

“Well sure when you’re as gone as Shits, no probably not. But still.” Adam hopped up from the couch again. “Bitty sent some pie, want a piece?”

He actually did want some pie, but he also needed a moment in the kitchen, alone, away from where Ransom could see him freaking out. Being welcomed home by his best friend should not mean _that_ much to him, even if it had been a while since they were together last, but he could not stop thinking how nice it would be to always come home to Ransom.

Of course it’d be nice. After three years that’s just what he was used to. Right?

“Um, hell yes, what kind of question is that? But should you really be eating some? What about your meal plan and your nutritionist?”

Adam made a sound of agreement, as if truly considering Ransom’s point, while cutting them both generously sized pieces.

Handing one off to Ransom a moment later, he grinned. “What Nate doesn’t know won’t kill him.”

* * *

 

“So, are you staying for the game on Friday?” They made it through two episodes of _The Office_ before Adam finally asked. Or he made it through two episodes. Ransom was still pretending to read his textbook.

“Bro, of course. Lardo and Shitty are planning on coming too. And Bits and the frogs. I haven’t heard about the taddies, but c’mon. Of course we’re all gonna come support you.”

It shouldn’t surprise him. The whole team pooled together to go to Jack’s first game. And yet, it didn’t seem real.

Something about his silence must have worried Ransom. Leaning off the couch for the remote, he paused the television and turned his full attention to Adam.

“Holtzy, is something wrong?”

How he ever managed to keep the NHL scouts from Ransom he’ll never know, because there was next to nothing they didn’t know about to each other, even down to their tells.

Adam shook his head. “I still keep waiting for this to all be a dream. Me? About to play my first NHL game? It doesn’t seem possible.”

“Well you better not have been slacking during practice, because it’s for real.” Ransom said with a grin.

Adam laughed. “Jack really would kill me then.”

“No, he’d just…require some extra drills?”

“Yeah, until I dropped dead from exhaustion. Then he might let up.”

Ransom laughed at his exaggeration, and Adam couldn’t help but join in.

“I’m really excited.” He admitted once they calmed down again.

Ransom punched his shoulder. “Of course you are. It’s gonna be great.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case you missed it, I uploaded two chapters this time around so don't miss that first one, even though its pretty short~
> 
> Warning for some blood in this chapter

Justin traveled to the arena with the Birkholtz clan, but they were separated in the crowds as Justin kept an eye out for Samwell crew. There was easily another hour before puck drop, but the crowds were thick, the arena deafening between the music, vendors, and the sheer number of people trying to move around in the limited space. The Falconers’s popularity had definitely risen in the last year or so. But as an expansion team making it as far as they did in the playoffs the year before, he supposed he shouldn’t be surprised.

He spotted Lardo first, considering she was perched on Shitty’s shoulders and therefore towering over the crowd. The Frogs, all of them, and Bitty were with them. Nursey and Lardo were deep into a conversation he didn’t bother trying to decipher from that distance. And if the expression on Dex’s face was anything to go by, Tango came equipped with his usual arsenal of questions. Meanwhile, Chowder looked ready to vibrate right out of his skin, though he was the first one to notice Justin as he made his way towards them.

“Rans!” Chowder’s exclamation altered everyone else to his presence and the group welcomed him into the fold with high fives, fist bumps, and slaps on the back.

Lardo slipped off of Shitty’s shoulders when security started eyeing their group, and they seemed to take that as a sign to head in. Walking through the stadium seats was just as amazing as it was the first time. Sure, he had been to NHL games before, and had been playing hockey most of his life-but watching the Falconers play was different. He _knew_ this team; Jack did his best to merge his Samwell life and Falconer life. And now…

“Holster!”

The players weren’t on the ice just yet, but the line-up was playing across the jumbotron above the rink. And there he was. Adam Birkholtz. Rookie Defenseman. #4.

“Do his teeth look even larger in that picture than normal?”

Justin, and a number of the Samwell crew, sputtered out a surprised laugh as Holster’s sister sidled up beside them. Justin looked around to find the rest of the Brikholtz family not far behind.

“Maragret, don’t talk about your brother like that.” Katherine scolded, though it sounded as if she was saying in more because she thought she should, rather than actually caring that Margaret had said it. The sixteen-year-old shrugged off her step-mother’s scolding.

“They totally do.” Justin agreed in a conspiratorial whisper.

“This is why you’re my favorite.” Margaret told him through her giggles.

Holster’s family had met the team when they came down for graduation, but Justin ran through the introductions again, just in case. With the “adults” distracted by names and small talk, it was Holster’s youngest sister, Savannah, that finally noticed the team making their way out onto the ice. If they had thought the stadium itself was loud, nothing quite compared to an eight-year-old screaming “Adam” across the ice rink.

Well, it got his attention.

Grinning, Holster skated towards them. Savannah took off, down the stairs to the ice, pig tails flying behind her.

Justin kind of wished he could do the same thing.

It was different seeing him in the Falconer blue, instead of Samwell red, but he looked good. Like he belonged there on the ice. Justin hadn’t really thought he would go pro after college, med school had been the plan since he was in high school, but it was odd to see Holster strapped up and ready for a game, and not be by his side.

Well, something to overanalyze later. For now,

“Yeah, Birkholtz!” 

* * *

 

The game started with a foul less than three minutes in and two fights. Both teams were playing like they had something to prove and their opponent was the last thing standing in their way. Holster didn’t get much ice time in the first period, just as he predicted, but Jack was out there playing hard, and getting slammed into the boards even harder. If he got checked again, Justin was pretty sure Bitty would do something drastic.

Shitty shouted down insults that, Justin was fairly certain, were only as mild as they were for Savannah’s sake. The rest of the Samwell crew wasn’t far behind him.

Halfway through the second period, neither team was on the board, and then Holster was sent out. Their row cheered as he skated out, earning themselves glares from the surrounding seats, but Justin could feel his pulse sky rocket as he watched his best friend join the brutal game. Margaret grabbed his right hand, eyes trained on Holster. Justin squeezed her hand back, and settled in for one of the most stressful nine minutes and thirty-four seconds he could ever remember. 

* * *

 

By the final period, the fact that someone hadn’t drawn blood in the game was a complete miracle. The tension was palpable. The opposing center flew down the ice with the puck, Jack and Robison hot on his tail. Just as they closed in on him, he took a wild shot.

After that, everything seemed to happen at once.

Holster dove to block the shot. Their left-wing dove after him. A helmet hit the ice. Snowy caught the puck.

Snowy caught the puck.

_Holster’s helmet hit the ice._

Between the two teams, and their position, they couldn’t see much. But that didn’t stop Justin from jumping to his feet in attempt to know what was happening. By the time the refs pulled the brawling players apart, everyone around him was on their feet as well.

Holster was on his feet, but blood was dripping down the front of his sweater and was smeared across most of his face. Others were in similar shape, but Justin couldn’t take his eyes off Holster as they escorted him off the ice.

As if he could feel the eyes on him, Holster turned towards their row. He waved, throwing them a reassuring smile. It might have been more effective if two of his teeth weren’t missing.

“Oh, what the fuck?” Shitty swore a few seats down.

He couldn’t have said it better himself.

* * *

The rest of the game passed in a blur Justin couldn’t follow. Holster never returned to the ice and he couldn’t stop thinking about it. What was happening? Was he alright? Could that have gone differently if Justin had been down there on the ice with him? He knew it was a useless train of thought, but that didn’t seem to stop _that_ particular anxiety from popping up with frustrating frequency.

The only part of the game he seemed to register was when Tater slammed the guy who knocked Holster down like the big guy was trying to flatten him- _Thank God for Alexei Mashkov_ -but when Jack sunk the winning puck into the net, he was on his feet screaming himself hoarse with the rest of them.

An insistent tugging on his hand dragged his attention away from the celebrating team on the ice. Margaret nodded towards her family as Katherine shoved her way through the crowded rows.

“C’mon, we’re gonna go see him.” 

* * *

 

“Maybe we should stay longer.”

Justin sat at Holster’s kitchen table, watching Katherine pace around the apartment. The girls all sat on the couch. They had been watching their mother, trying to convince her otherwise, but had since given up. Savannah was asleep on Margaret’s lap. She had wanted to go lie down with Holster, but Katherine had been worried about disturbing him.

Holster’s step-father, Leo, sat beside Justin. He had put forth a valiant effort as well, but was losing steam.

“I’m going to be here, at least for a few more days.” Justin reminded her. Technically he had a lab on Monday, but not until the afternoon. “And Jack already offered to check up on Adam, or stay with him once we leave if he still doesn’t seem a hundred percent.”

Katherine chewed on her bottom lip uncertainly.

“C’mon, Ma. Justin can take care of him for a couple of days. He’s a med-student isn’t he?” Margaret chimed in. “And if we all leave without you, you’ll have to take the train back and you hate the train.”

“It’s not his first concussion, Kathy. I’m sure he’ll be fine.” Leo added softly. Justin winced.

“That’s not really comforting, Leo.” Elizabeth muttered.

Katherine sat down at the table as well, resting her head in her hands.

“You’ll take care of him, right, Justin?”

“Of course.”

She nodded, though she looked extremely unhappy to be doing so. “We’ll just be in Boston for the night, with Leo’s parents, so if anything happens,”

“You’ll be the first to know.”

It took another hour and half for the whole family to be packed up and ready to go, but in the end they did actually leave. Once the apartment was empty, Justin headed towards Holster’s room. The blond laid spread eagle on his bed, in the dark, but Justin could tell right away that he was still awake.

“They actually left?” He asked.

“It was a little touch and go there for a while with your mom but they wore her down.”

“Mm.”

Justin sat on the side of the bed but after a moment Holster shifted to make space for him and he climbed fully onto the bed.

“You doin’ okay, bro?”

Holster gave a slight nod. “It hurts, but I don’t even think it’s the worse headache I’ve had, honestly.”

“Hangover after freshman year epikegster?”

Holster laughed, though it ended in a grimace. “Holy shit yeah. That was definitely the worst.”

“So, not quite as ‘great’ as we predicted.” Justin mused as they laid in the dark. He felt more than saw Holster’s shrug.

“I mean, we won. And _I_ didn’t start the fight. Plus, nobody died, so pretty good.”

“When was the last time someone _died_ playing hockey?”

“1968.”

Justin shook his head. “Of course, you knew that.”

Holster grinned, showing off the dark gap in his teeth. Despite himself, Justin smiled too. He held up a fist. Holster’s fist knocked soundly against his own.

“Good game, bro.”

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to come yell at me or just stalk the progress of this and other fics on tumblr on my personal blog (thathopelessromantic.tumblr.com) or my recently created Check, Please! side blog (miseenechecsilvousplait.tumblr.com)


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